来年(らいねん)

らいねん
noun, adverb
next year
time-general
1. next year
The year after this one; the coming year. Used to refer to future events or plans in the year that follows the current one.
来年(らいねん)日本(にほん)に行(い)きたいです。
I want to go to Japan next year.
来年(らいねん)また会(あ)いましょう。
Let's meet again next year.
来年(らいねん)までに日本語(にほんご)が上手(じょうず)になりたい。
I want to become good at Japanese by next year.
来年(らいねん)は日本語(にほんご)がもっと上手(じょうず)になるように、毎日(まいにち)勉強(べんきょう)します。
I'll study every day next year so that I can become better at Japanese.
来年(らいねん)の夏(なつ)に家族(かぞく)で海外(かいがい)旅行(りょこう)に行(い)きたいと思(おも)っています。今(いま)からお金(かね)を貯(た)めています。
I'm thinking of going on an overseas trip with my family next summer. I'm saving money from now.

来年(らいねん) means "next year" and can function as either a noun or an adverb.

Time series

THE らい- PREFIX:
Means "coming, next" and appears in many time words:

Common patterns

  • 来年(らいねん)の春(はる): next spring
  • 来年(らいねん)から: starting next year
  • 来年(らいねん)までに: by next year
  • 来年(らいねん)こそ: next year for sure

Register

昨年(さくねん) (last year) and 翌年(よくねん) (the following year) are more formal alternatives. Note that 来年(らいねん) is always relative to now, while 翌年(よくねん) is relative to some other year already under discussion.

Related Words

Compare: 今年(ことし) (this year)
Compare: 去年(きょねん) (last year)
Related: 再来年(さらいねん) (year after next)
Related: 翌年(よくねん) (the following year, formal)
Related: 来月(らいげつ) (next month)
Related: 来週(らいしゅう) (next week)
Related: 毎年(まいとし) (every year)
Related: 昨年(さくねん) (last year)
Related: 一昨年(いっさくねん) (the year before last)
Compare: 本年(ほんねん) (this year)
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Added 2026.1.7 21:28 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29
00500/00745_rainen